TODAY’S NEWSLETTER INCLUDES:

1. COMMUNITY MEETING RECAP AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED
2. NO KINGS #2 PROTEST OCTOBER 18TH - SIGN UP AND GET READY TO BE LOUD AND VISIBLE!
2. WRITE A LETTER FOR STATE CHARGES
3. PROP 50 UPDATE FROM SONOMA VALLEY DEMOCRATS

SUMMARY OF FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING SEPT. 27TH, AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED NOW - EVEN THOUGH YOU COULDN’T COME TO THE MEETING.

Our first community meeting was VERY energizing and comprehensive. The team of volunteers who showed up were like an incredible little army of angels each knowing what needed to be done, and put the meeting together in under 30 minutes. One would not guess the tremendous amount of time that went into it behind the scenes. THIS is what democracy looks like!! We are building a sustainable community organizing home!

We had 14 community member VOLUNTEERS, who have become involved with Wake UP Sonoma as leads or participants to one of our action or core teams that gave a presentation. Each had 3 minutes to give their summary and highlights. I think it would have been very hard for anyone listening to wonder what Wake UP Sonoma has been doing. We have been doing A LOT!
I will attempt to give a very high-level summary of each group’s report out on our website. There is too much to put here, so it’s up on our website. To see opportunities that will grow Wake UP Sonoma- Click here to read. COMMUNITY+MEETING+SEPTEMBER+27.+RECAPdocx.pdf

Additionally, There is now a list of Community conversations that are being put together and will be a featured at each of our meetings. Our next Community meeting will be on November 15th, at Burlingame Hall
10:30 - 12:30. Our community meeting in October will be the protest on October 18th, so we are skipping the smaller meeting in October. Stay tuned to hear about the topic for our November meeting.

List of Community Conversations in order of priority votes by attendees:
Note- We will not be able to get to all of these topics and we will rotate and Vett them through our Protest and Action Team discussions.
1. Immigration support and allyship
2. Impact of Global and National Human Rights issues on our local community. (EG Gaza/Jewish community tension) Guest speakers and deeper conversations with mediators.
3. Strategic resistance and other non compliance activities
4. Street Theatre activities, Visibility brigade, open mic, etc
5. How to engage with school board and City Council meetings
6. Labor Movement - Labor movement speakers
7. Mutual Aid - What is it and what do we do with it?
8. Neighborhood meetings, dinners, walks, other ways to connect in your neighborhoods for joy and safety
9. Support of the transgender community - building positive presence in our community.

IF YOU have other thoughts, please send us an email and we will continue to add to our growing list.

ACA/Obamacare Threatened:
Big Changes in 2026 if Congress Doesn’t Act

A new Trump Administration/Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services rule ends financial subsidies (tax credits) in 2026. Estimates are that millions of people will become uninsured. In addition, some higher income people who could receive tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act will no longer receive those tax credits. Democrats are attempting to negotiate to extend the subsidies, but Republicans and the White House are refusing to engage and insisting on delaying the negotiations. They’re willing to shut down the government and threaten mass firings, rather than protecting access to healthcare.

 In March 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called Obamacare, into law. The law made healthcare more affordable, eliminated lifetime benefit limits, and prohibited discrimination because of pre-existing conditions. It also allowed young people to stay on their parents’ policies until age 26. In 2014, tax subsidies became available for individuals and families with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. After passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, the numbers of people covered under the ACA doubled from 12 million in 2021 to 24 million in 2025. About half of the people now enrolled in Obamacare either work for small businesses that may not offer coverage or are self-employed.

 The ACA has increased the number of Americans covered by health insurance and slowed the rise of health care costs across the board. For 2025 coverage, about 24 million people signed up for Obamacare, while another 21 million adults were covered by Medicaid expansion. Without the tax credit extension, monthly premiums in California will double, and as many as 400,000 people are expected to drop out of the California marketplace, almost a quarter of total enrollees in the state.

 Insurers are developing new rates for health plans for 2026. Inflation will be part of the equation, and younger and healthier people will exit the plans. The result: higher health insurance premiums for many others. Aetna will leave the ACA market by the end of 2025, and other insurers may leave as well. Proposed rate filings show median increases of 18% and average increases of about 20%. Without the enhanced subsidies, average out-of-pocket premiums are projected to increase by more than 75%. For households with incomes slightly over 400% of the federal poverty level, the full cost of their insurance premiums will return. People may be surprised with premium changes in January but it’s possible they may be able to switch to other coverage in February.

 There are many other challenges:

• Auto-renewal for subsidized plans is ending.

• There will be shorter enrollment periods: November 1 to December 15 (not January 15).

• Navigator programs will go away so people have less help choosing plans.

• Low-income people will lose their right to select a plan at any time of year.

• DACA recipients will be excluded from enrolling in the ACA.

• Stricter income verification with IRS documentation will be required.

Prepared by: Elizabeth Sandel, MD, Chair, Wake Up Sonoma Healthcare Action Team, September 29, 2025. Sources: KFF; NewYork Times; Substack: Heather Cox Richardson: MediCal website; Politico. AI used for initial search.

REGISTER HERE TODAY!
NO KINGS Sonoma Valley · Mobilize

*****RESISTANCE IS ESSENTIAL NOW*****

NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST DECLARED BY INDIVISIBLE

Wake UP Sonoma is partnering with Sonoma Valley Democrats once again to bring the Sonoma Valley together to say NO KINGS IN AMERICA!!! Wake UP Sonoma’s Protest and Action team is meeting on Monday to finalize details, so stay tuned for details soon afterwards. If you want to be part of the Protest and Action Team to volunteer for this action, send an email to: wakeupsonoma@gmail.com.

We still need monitors!!!
No Kings 2 monitors - October 18th — Wake UP Sonoma
Flash Mob Crew is almost full, but there are still a few spaces. If your interested, get your name in!
No Kings 2 performers - October 18th — Wake UP Sonoma
For those of you who signed up already, we will be in touch soon!
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*****MATTSON UPDATE*****
REMEMBER TO WRITE YOUR LETTERS!
Support our effort to advocate for state charges to be brought against the Mattsons and LeFever!

The Wake UP Sonoma Board, plus one Ad-Hoc member from the community, met with Congressman Mike Thompson to encourage him to help in our effort to start the process of pressing for state charges to be filed against Mattson by urging the state to also look at state charges to be filed against Tim and Stacy. If you want to see the letters that the board sent, click here.

Rob Bonta - Attorney General California
California Department of Justice
1300 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez
600 Administration Drive
Room 212 J
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Pass around these addresses and encourage you fellow community members to write! Express your personal reasons for pursuing these charges.

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SONOMA VALLEY DEMOCRATS HAVE A MESSAGE ABOUT PROPOSITION 50! URGENT!!

The Sonoma Valley Democrats are honored to be able to work with Wake Up Sonoma towards our common goals. Currently, the main focus of all California Democrats is to work to pass Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act. Yes on 50 is crucial if we are to take back the House in 2026 and put some guardrails on this President. In just the last few months we’ve seen what Trump can do - he’s cut healthcare from tens of millions of people, hurt the economy with tariffs making prices rise, and is using the military against our own people. California is fighting back by calling for the Special Election on November 4th where we’ll vote on temporarily redrawing the lines of our own California Congressional districts. To volunteer for YES on Prop 50 actions or for more info about any of the Sonoma Valley Democrats meetings and actions, please email: contact@svdems.org. Beth Hadley, President, Sonoma Valley Democrats
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OUR PARTNER CORNER

INDIVISIBLE - For the complete calendar visit:
Calendar - Indivisible Sonoma County

FRIDAY BANNER DROP PROTESTS
Fridays - 7:30am - 9:30am
Location: Hwy 101 Pedestrian Overpass (just south of Hwy 12)

For over 20 years, the interfaith communities for Justic and Peace have been meeting every week for 2 hours at 7:30 am. Check it out:   Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace

Audacity Rising inc.
A new effort out of Congressman Jared Huffman’s office.
This from Jared Huffman - “I am happy and proud to announce the official launch party for our organization on Monday, October 6th from 6PM to 8:30PM held at the Barrel Proof Lounge at 501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. We will unveil our newly minted website, and celebrate the official start of our journey with our friends, allies, affiliates and partners we are so blessed to have developed a strong relationship with, every one. We will be attended by our partners from SoCo Peace and Justice, and our sponsoring partners at VIDAS Law, as well as the North Bay Labor Council, our allies with SoCo Indivisible, our allies from Congressman Thompsons office and the SoCo Board of Supervisors, and much more.

There will be music and dance and comedy and celebration of our cause and mission. Come be a part of a launch to a campaign that will help us all make a greater difference!

While I am in this announcing mode, allow me to declare our first three fundraising concerts that are now confirmed and codified.

· On November 8th at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, presented with our partners at the Peace and Justice Center, we will host MomotomboSF and a special guest artist. This is a Latin rock show not to be missed!

· On November 15th at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, presented again with our partners at the Peace and Justice Center, well are hosting Sol Flamenco and Mark Taylor. A night to transport your imagination to new experience.

· Then, on December 13th, back at the Barrel Proof Lounge we will present Dirty Cello with their friends Mild Heroes to open the show for them.

We have already started booking our shows for 2026 and will have further exciting announcements as this schedule unfolds.”

www.audacityrisinginc.org

MORE AND MORE ALWAYS MORE TO COME!

Our Vision: To foster a vibrant, just, respectful and welcoming Sonoma Valley community.

OUR MISSION IS TO:
EDUCATE - by providing resources to Sonoma Valley residents to be informed and engaged.
ADVOCATE - for local diversity, equity, inclusion, civic and corporate transparency.
ACTIVATE - by promoting democracy and providing opportunities for local engagement.

We Educate. Advocate. Activate.
on issues related, but not limited to:
- LGBTQIA+ safety and visibility
- Protection of our immigrant population
- Defense against Christian Nationalism
- Transparency in large corporate investment and responsible development
- Active local civic engagement